Did you know that 52% of teenagers are concerned about the lack of action on climate change? And that it’s contributing to 56% of them feeling anxious.
One of Media Smart’s goals for 2023 was to raise awareness of Greenwashing.
Greenwashing is when companies use marketing to appear more environmentally friendly than they are. And according to the UK Government, 40% of ‘green’ claims made online could be misleading.
With our unique focus on advertising literacy we have invaluable insights from young people on this topic and Media Smart is delighted to announce that we’ve created a guide for educators, parents and young people on Greenwashing so they can spot it, report it and ultimately help to stop it.
Spot it, report it and ultimately help to stop it.
We’ve also created a social media awareness campaign with a series of short vox pox films from young people, supported by a simple five-point guide with further information.
Media Smart wants to help increase awareness of the issue amongst young people and support the fantastic work the Advertising Standards Authority is doing in this area.
The campaign will be rolled out on Media Smart’s social media channels during March and April, reaching young people, teachers and parents directly.
Download the new Greenwashing guide here.
And support our campaign on your social channels:
It is just the start of the ‘conversation’ with young people around Greenwashing, but an incredibly important one for Media Smart to initiate…
Thank you for your support.
Rachel Barber-Mack
Director of Media Smart
P.S. did you know we have 11 FREE resources for educators, parents and guardians? Including lessons, films and guides on Body Image, Social Media, Influencer Marketing, Piracy & IP, Creative Careers, TikTok and Instagram.
Here are a few of the latest ones available for you to download and share today…
TikTok: Adverts, Creators and You
For 13-17 yrs / Secondary school / Key stage 3, 4 & 5 / + SEND version
This exciting, film-based educational resource, featuring successful TikTok Creators, will empower 13-17 year olds with the tools they need to navigate TikTok’s commercial side, ensuring they have the most positive online experience possible. It should also assist teachers, parents and carers who want to supplement their own knowledge to help young people confidently and securely use the platform.
For 11-14 yrs / Secondary school / Key stage 3
Media Smart’s latest resource is aimed at helping teens understand the commercial link between social influencers and the brands they may be promoting. The rising number of social influencers in young people’s lives has prompted us to create a film-based PSHE teaching resource, the first of its kind to tackle this area of marketing.
How to manage your online advert experience
For 11-16 yrs / Secondary school / Key stage 3
In this new resource, we feature an animated film and classroom materials to support pupil discussions around interest-based advertising, why it exists, and how young people can best manage it. Students may be surprised to learn that this sort of advertising funds so many of the free platforms they use every day, from apps and websites to search engines.